The Ultimate Guide To Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, the only mountain zoo in the US!
Located atop Cheyenne Mountain, the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo offers a unique combination of spectacular views of the city and its expansive collection of animals!
The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the only zoo in the US that’s located at such a high elevation. The zoo’s high elevation provides a vantage point that offers some of the best views of the nearby valleys and the Colorado Springs city.
The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is also known for its extensive collection of animals around the globe and the several feeding and animal encounter programs offered at the zoo. The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is well known for its unique zoo ride, the Mountaineer Sky Ride, a chair lift that carries people to the top of the mountain over the zoo’s several exhibits.
The Mountaineer Sky Ride, a unique way to explore the zoo on board a chair lift that takes you to the top of the mountain!
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is very popular among families with kids, and with great views, an extensive collection of animals, several activities, and some great dining options, it’s a fun place for the entire family!
Here is my ultimate guide to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, featuring various activities and things to do in Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, along with recommendations on hotels and restaurants near the zoo.
Getting To Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
The best way to get to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is by flying into Colorado Springs or Denver International Airport!
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Colorado Springs is located about 70 miles south of Denver and is also home to Colorado Springs Airport (COS), a domestic airport in Colorado served by several major airlines. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Address: 4250 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80906.
Airports Near Cheyenne Mountain Zoo: Colorado Springs Airport (COS), Colorado Springs, Colorado, located just 12 miles from Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, is the closest major domestic airport to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, which’s serviced by several major Airlines.
Located about 95 miles north of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, the Denver International Airport (DEN), Denver, Colorado, is the closest international airport to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.
You could fly into one of these Colorado airports, rent a car and then drive to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.
Train Services To Cheyenne Mountain Zoo: While there’re no direct train services to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, you could either take a direct Amtrak train to Denver Union Station. Or use Amtrak’s train-bus mixed services to get to Colorado Springs, which is the closest Amtrak station to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.
Bus Services To Cheyenne Mountain Zoo: Like Amtrak train services, Greyhound also connects several US cities to many Colorado cities, including Denver and Colorado Springs.
Upon reaching, you could either rent a car, hire a taxi, or use one of the ride-hailing services like Uber/Lyft to get to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs.
Things To Do In Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
There’re a lot of fun things to do at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, including the Mountaineer Sky Ride, great views of the valley and the city, several animal encounter programs, and many great dining options!
Mountaineer Sky Ride: Riding the chair lift to the top is my favorite thing to do in Cheyenne Mountain Zoo! The Mountaineer Sky Ride, a chair lift, glides over several zoo exhibits, carrying visitors to the top of the mountain, offers a birds-eye view of the zoo and the Colorado Springs city.
The roundtrip Mountaineer Sky Ride starts inside the zoo, not too far from the entrance gate, carrying passengers to the Mountaineer Summit. The summit offers breathtaking panoramic views of the valley and the city from the top. The summit is equipped with picnic tables, benches, a kids’ play area, a yurt, and viewing platforms. Once done exploring the summit, you will have to take the chair lift down to the starting point.
Animal Encounters: The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is organized into sections housing different animals in distinct areas with viewing areas. The zoo also offers several other animal feeding programs that allow visitors to go beyond just viewing the animals.
- Animal Exhibits: There are several exhibits in the zoo, including African Rift Valley, Asian Highlands, Australia Walkabout, Primate World, and more. Each exhibit features distinct species of animals and offers a unique experience.
- Animal Feeding: The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo offers several programs allowing visitors to get close to the animals and feed them. Some of the feeding programs are supervised and available only on certain days. The animal feeding programs in Cheyenne Mountain Zoo include giraffe feeding, goat feeding, chicken feeding, elephant feeding, and rhino feeding.
Ride Historic Carousel: In the center of the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, you will find a historic carousel used in the Progress Fair in Chicago in the year 1933. The carousel was later acquired and restored by Cheyenne Mountain Zoo to let visitors ride and experience this vintage and historic carousel.
Overnight Stays In The Zoo: The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo offers a WildNight program that lets you stay overnight in the zoo and includes memorable after-hours animal encounters, dinner, and other fun activities.
Dining In The Zoo: The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo offers some great dining options with great views, including seated dining at Grizzly Grill and Pizza with a View, Cozy Goat Espresso Bar serving coffee, tea, and other beverages, and a few places to grab a quick bite – Elson’s place, Rocky Mountain Barbecue Co., and Carousel Sweets.
The zoo also offers VIP tours and behind the scene encounters. You can find more details about other zoo programs on the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo website.
Lodging & Dining Near Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
Colorado Springs is a great place to stay when visiting Cheyenne Mountain Zoo!
Colorado Springs is a major city in Colorado and home to several attractions, including Garden of the Gods, Broadmoor Seven Falls, Pikes Peak, and more. Being a popular tourist destination in Colorado, Colorado Springs has several excellent lodging options, including resorts, boutique hotels, and other chain hotels.
Lodging Options Near Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
Overnight Stays In The Zoo: The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo offers a WildNight program that lets you stay overnight in the zoo and includes memorable after-hours animal encounters, dinner, and other fun activities. However, the WildNight program is seasonal and has limited availability.
The Broadmoor: The Broadmoor is a resort and a private club in Colorado Springs. The expansive lakeside resort with golf-courses, SPA services, onsite shops and galleries, and several dining options is a great place to stay near Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Find more details and reserve online on The Broadmoor website.
Cheyenne Mountain Colorado Springs: Located just four miles from Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, the Cheyenne Mountain Colorado Springs is a luxury retreat in the mountains with great views, service, and amenities, including many swimming pools, a man-made sand beach, golf courses, tennis courts, SPA services and more.
Garden of the Gods Resort & Club: Located within a few miles from Garden of the Gods, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, and Pikes Peak, the Garden of the Gods Resort & Club is a luxury resort in Colorado Springs with great views of Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods. The resort features indoor and outdoor tennis courts, wellness SPA and saloon, the Kissing Camels Golf Course, the Infinity pool with spectacular views of Pikes Peak, indoor and outdoor dining options.
Antlers Hotel: The Antlers Hotel part of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, located in the city center, Colorado Springs, is a luxurious hotel with contemporary decor, great views, an indoor pool, and a few great dining options.
Dining Options Near Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
There are a decent number of dining options within Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, and you will find many more dining options in the city of Colorado Springs. Below I have listed a few of my favorite places to dine near Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs.
Dining Options Inside The Zoo: The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo offers some great dining options with great views, including seated dining at Grizzly Grill and Pizza with a View, Cozy Goat Espresso Bar serving coffee, tea, and other beverages, and a few places to grab a quick bite – Elson’s place, Rocky Mountain Barbecue Co., and Carousel Sweets.
Lake Terrace Dining Room: The Lake Terrace Dining Room in The Broadmoor resort, with an elegant dining room and a great menu, is a great place to dine whether or not you’re staying in The Broadmoor resort! Lake Terrace Dining Room’s Sunday brunch is very popular among locals and a must-try if you’re in Colorado Springs on a Sunday.
Edelweiss German Restaurant: The Edelweiss German Restaurant in Colorado Springs is a great place to try European delicacies in a lively setting with live music.
Paravicini’s Italian Bistro: This is a great place for classic Italian food in a rustic and lively environment.
Pepper Tree Restaurant: The Pepper Tree Restaurant, known for its table-side food preparation, is one of the best fine dining options in Colorado Springs.
Crave Real Burgers: The best burger joint in Colorado Springs! The gourmet burgers, shakes, and unique appetizers served here are some of the best in town.
I hope you enjoyed reading the post, The Ultimate Guide To Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, and I hope this will help you plan your trip to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. You can find other Colorado attractions in my Colorado Travel Guide.
Happy feeding your soul!
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